Obedience Training - STAND

The STAND command is a command that is very useful when you are taking your dog to the vet for an examination, you are bathing your dog, or your dog goes to the groomer. It is also a behavior that is used in the conformation or show ring as well as competitive obedience and rally events.

In the same manner as the previous commands were taught you should start off teaching the STAND command in a familiar environment with the fewest distractions possible so as to make it easy for your dog to succeed.

Training Your Dog to Stay

Start off training your dog the STAND command by having them do a SIT in the heel position, if you are still in the training phase of the SIT command make sure you reward and praise for her getting into the sit position. At this point the STAY should pretty much be automatic once you call for a SIT. Now from this position take one of her favorite training treats (in your outermost hand from her) holding it a few inches in front of her nose and slowly lure the treat away from her nose, parallel to the ground. While the treat is being lured away and as soon as you see her rear legs start to straighten (to stand) call the STAND command. As soon as she is in a full stand position praise and treat.

When teaching the STAND command try to stretch out the word stand (saying the word slowly) while the stand action is happening and then immediately praise and treat with enthusiasm when the action is complete. If she doesn’t want to follow the treat or she scoots to the treat in the sit position, try using your free hand to gently lift upwards from the belly to help her achieve the standing position.

The STAND command along with your hand movement is building that association with the action of standing. After repetition with a food treat in your hand, start varying the duration before you give the food reward but always give the verbal rewards. Mixing up the praise always keeps her guessing so eventually she will not need the food reward. Also, once she has the concept of the STAND command you can add the STAY command at the end of her getting into the stand position and your reward. The STAND/STAY is a great command to be used at the vet’s office for the examination and it will really impress the vet if the last time your dog was squirming like a worm and now she is standing still like a soldier.